Can someone share their experience in electric HWS installation? Thinking of upgrading a pre-installed electric HWS and looking to have it installed cheaply but safely. Can you DIY install it? Will it void any warranty or your home insurance? Any brand suggestions that's cheap to run? Thanks
Electric Hot Water System: Plumber, Electrician or DIY?
spychiatrist on 15/11/2015 - 09:32
Comments
I replaced my dead hws with the exact same model myself. So all pipes were in place. Just needed some plumbers tape and it was good to go. Only problem was the new element had slightly changed so as to draw double the power. As I had old wiring and the fuse was rated for the old hws I then needed to get a plumber to install another element equal toy old units. The new hws/element would heat the water but would then trip the fuse. Cost $130 for the plumber and new element. Had i known why this was happening I would have done it myself.
The new hot water came with wiring instructions. Its pretty self explanatory how to install it.
Cold water in, hot water out. Electricity in.
Mainly it is about the copper water pipes and making sure the connect correctly to the new hws. (Hence I bought the same model)
So legally anyone can install an electric HWS? The existing has 3 pipes: in, out and pressure release. Shouldn't be an issue 'no if the replacement HWS has no pressure relief outlet pipe required?
What brand and capacity was your HWS?
Wrong. It is illegal in WA to install unless you are an appropriately licensed plumber. If someone were to be injured or killed you will face large fines and/or jail time. Your insurance would also be null and void if you couldn't provide the details of the plumber who installed it.
Altomic says he replaced his with "the exact same model", but he failed to notice the current draw had doubled - if the fuse hadn't blown, his "old wiring" could just have easily burnt his house down…
Depending on the capacity and brand you need. Rinnai have 25L and 50L that comes in a plug and play (electrical) version. Higher capacity ones may have 3 phase electric requirements. Think about the home insurance side of it as well. If anything happen down the road, this may be picked up by the insurance company and may have issues especially the power supply side. I suggest you buy the unit you want and get a plumber who can do the electrical connection as well. I was previously quoted around $250 to install only. Hope this helps
Was looking at the Rinnai being sold in Master's eBay but not sure if it's the instantaneous, which I prefer, or the storage one.
I wouldn't advise anyone to muck around with water and electricity, get in a pro, once in a while won't hurt you. While some home bodged up wiring just might.
Now is the time to consider solar.
it's a disgrace that australia is a nanny state and many simple plumbing & electrical things are not diy legal. in countries such as england, usa, nz it is legal, with no increase in eletrocution fatalities, etc. even a scheme were the alterations needed certification afterwards would be an improvement. australia is really screwed up.
I agree. A lot of things that are illegal are just an excuse for tradies to keep a closed shop and gouge people e.g. it's also potentially illegal to change tap washers, repair cisterns, fit a shower head and unblock drains and toilets in WA.
The "nanny state" regulations usually come into play when somebody dies. You may notice that when you turn a cold tap higher on a simple mixer system, it will often momentarily go a little hotter. This is because the flows and pressures in the system do not change in a simple arithmetic manner, but is governed by many variables such as the comparative size of the inlets, flow resistance in the supplying pipes, temperature differential between the two flows, venturi and differential vacuum and even the current air pressure plus material of the supplying pipes.
For some strange reason, plumbing is [or at least used to be] a five year apprenticeship that came with a mathematics requirement.When it comes to the wiring, things aren't quite as simple.
It may be fairly easy to replace a hot water system. The regulations are there to deter people who think it is simple. Even a 'primitive' wewt-back heating system has the potential to explode and kill if put in by a cowboy.
The regs are there to deter of people such as whoever it was who decided a 4" nail was a suitable replacement for a fuse in a house i once shared, and to protect those who lived there and had no reason to check it long enough for the nail to rust.
Bear in mind that half the population are under average intelligence, and relate that to the number of people who vote for politicians…
One of the reason that people do it wrong (and there'll ALWAYS be those that want to DIY regardless of the laws) is that because of nanny-state over-regulation, getting the correct information to do the job properly is way more difficult than it should be, no doubt to discourage those very same DIYers. One could argue that by choosing over-regulation & information hiding over education, there is little net gain, except for those profiting from the closed shop…and that ain't the average joe consumer.
I think I've met plenty of licensed tradies who would probably come in on the lower half of that intelligence curve. That doesn't stop them making a living….because they have the knowledge that they need for the job they're doing.
Get a gas infinity unit instead.
But gas prices are rising and would prefer instantaneous hot water rather than storage
Gas infinity unit is instantaneous and no storage. Electricity prices are going up too. Compare star ratings.
http://www.rinnai.com.au/hot-water/continuous-flow-hot-water…
I considered installing the new electric HWS I bought and then I read that if it was not installed by a qualified person that Warranty was voided. So I paid for the install.
What unit you got? How much to install?
You must have it installed by an appropriately licensed plumber. If it's not on off peak tariff now would be a good time to change it over to save money.